


Coffee

by blooming_Ednae



Category: Steins;Gate
Genre: F/M, tumblr prompt requests
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-09
Updated: 2018-09-09
Packaged: 2019-07-08 19:04:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,489
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15936443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blooming_Ednae/pseuds/blooming_Ednae
Summary: “He erased all regrets he had at that moment just for a time to see Kurisu like this.”(for a tumblr prompt request).





	Coffee

**Author's Note:**

> This one was a tumblr prompt request I made quite a few months ago (and finally transferring here), requested by goldenharmony! Request: "Domestic, established relationship". 
> 
> Hope you all enjoy. ~

_ Cold. _

 

It was the first thing Okabe felt as he opened eyes, heaviness weighing on his eyelids as he adjusted to the sensation of waking up. Sunlight seeped through the window blinds of the small lab apartment and he winced as some sunlight was conveniently over his eyes, shutting them in reflex to avoid the sun’s rays. As he moved his head to the right, however, he groaned again, this time a slow, painful build up in the back of his neck. He realized, then, that he was sprawled out on the wooden floor, his white lab coat draped over him as a blanket, and Mayuri’s Upa cushion providing support to his head (though it probably wasn’t designed for overnight sleeps such as this).

 

He sat up slowly, clutching his lab coat even closer to him as the winter chill settled in the small apartment. Readjusting to the situation at hand, he vaguely remembered sleeping at a very late hour debating with his  _ assistant  _ on a topic she was presenting on at a conference being held at his university that day. What hour it was, he couldn’t remember, but he could only remember them meeting halfway with sleeping arrangements; she took the couch, and he on the floor (but at least he got the Upa cushion, as if that was some consolation prize). 

 

As if on cue, the sound of rustling and adjusting was heard and he turned his head slowly to his right. There she was, curled up on the couch comfortably, still fast asleep and looking much warmer than he was currently feeling, squinting as he remembered giving her his (only) heavy winter coat to use as a blanket since the lab had no central heating at all. She protested, naturally as he expected, but he ignored her protests, claiming that only a mad scientist can withstand the bitter cold and proceeded to use his lab coat as a blanket.

 

A chill ran up his spine as he shivered, and he somewhat started to regret his decision from last night.

 

He looked at her again and this time, she brought his coat closer to her chin as she snuggled deeper in the cloth, a look of content gracing her face.

 

Hm.

 

He erased all regrets he had at that moment just for a time to see Kurisu like this.

 

His phone suddenly vibrated, signaling some online notification when he suddenly realized the time. As quickly and quietly as he could, he rushed to the bathroom to prepare for his early morning classes, slipping on some business casual attire and putting on his cardigan from yesterday, hoping it would keep him as warm as he possibly could. Business casual was not his style, he surmised in his thought process as a mad scientist, but small sacrifices had to be made in order to go to the conference and get the credit he needed.

 

It’s not like he was trying to look presentable in front of everyone as Kurisu’s...partner.

 

The splash of cold water on his face immediately shook him from his thoughts and he quickly dried his face, trying  _ not _ to think that Kurisu was only in Japan for a week for this conference and won’t be back again until the summer, and that quite a few of his classmates were slowly figuring out his connection with her. Shaking his head, he quickly went to the small kitchen and began to brew coffee on the newly bought coffee machine. It was a gift from her, as she claimed it would help his “feeble lab” from always using instant, dissolvable coffee. After much protesting on his part, he finally gave in, claiming her efforts were of importance to the lab’s gadgets...he may or may not have actually been grateful, but he left that for her to be the judge of.

 

The coffee dripping slowed to a stop and he poured himself a mug, proceeding to turn towards the couch again, leaning against the sink counter. She hadn’t moved much since he last saw her and he assumed she returned to deep sleep again. It was understandable; she slept a little later after him the night before and all the papers scattered around her laptop on the coffee table were evident of her efforts of debating with him last night. She had also revised some of her presentation per his suggestions, which she found interesting, though he wondered how much of that was actually added.

 

He took a sip of his coffee and gazed at her. A brilliant, prodigy scientist, almost about to publish her second paper, and regarded highly in the neurophysicist community; here, in his apartment, sleeping on his couch, and wrapped in his coat, without a care in the world. When she became so vulnerable around him he couldn’t remember; like everything else in their relationship, nothing was timestamped, as everything came to be. 

 

Not timestamped. As it should be, he learned.

 

Her auburn locks were still just as long as ever as it was sprawled around her. He remembered in a vague conversation that she was thinking of cutting it shoulder-length some time soon and while he didn’t protest to it externally, a part of him felt a little sad she would do so as he grew to admire her with her long hair. But then again, maybe it was time for something new, something fresh, something different. After all, time was moving forward and they were young adults at this stage of their life. Something more awaited them; what, he didn’t know, but the future has always, and should’ve been uncertain, he’s learned.

 

He finished the last of his coffee and quietly placed the mug in the sink, suddenly realizing that the dishes hadn’t been cleaned. The only other person that had visited since yesterday was her, and he sighed internally as she had told him she’d do them, in payment for staying over at his place that night. He shrugged, knowing she was too busy anyhow, and cleaned the mug he used instead. Reaching into the cabinet, he took out a small sugar container and a spoon and then poured another mug of coffee, proceeding to put all the item onto a makeshift tray he found in his cabinet the other day (he assumed it was one of Mayuri’s cosplay props, but whatever). 

 

Silently, he walked to the coffee table and gently placed the tray over her papers to not get them ruined. The tray was placed successfully with her correct coffee preferences, and he looked over at Kurisu, who was still contently asleep.

 

_ Two lumps of sugar, no milk. _

 

He glanced at his watch; her panel wasn’t until 1 pm later that day, but knowing her, she probably had plans to go listen to a couple of talks before then and thought it best to wake her soon. As he reached over to tap her, he glanced down at her sleeping expression and for a moment, for  _ one split moment _ , he debated on lightly placing a kiss on her head, because, for all he knew, he definitely wasn’t the man of action between the both of them.

 

So when he realized his lips were planted atop her head and the scent of citrus wafted to him  _ so strongly and familiar  _ as he pulled away _ , _ he hurriedly grabbed his bag for classes and walked out of the lab quickly while slamming the door on accident behind him.

 

The heat rising to his cheeks was enough to keep him warm on the brisk, winter day, he concluded to himself.

 

He was glad he left his coat behind.

 

\------------

 

As soon as the door slammed shut, Kurisu groggily opened her eyes, slightly jolted from the sound. She blinked a couple of times to readjust to her surroundings, suddenly remembering last night’s debate with Okabe and her upcoming talk later that afternoon. Immediately, she sat up quickly, but the warm scent of coffee caught her attention as she shifted her gaze to the coffee table.

 

She smiled.

 

Pulling his coat closer around her, she took two spoonful lumps of sugar and mixed it with her coffee and sipped it carefully, still a little hot despite the cold weather.

 

Or were it her cheeks that were warm?

 

She vaguely remembered feeling as if someone was very close to her before she woke up, a small and quick peck placed on her head before they left. 

 

To no one in particular, she rolled her eyes at his antics, knowing that she wasn’t any better, anyway. 

 

But knowing that he had done that...and this coffee on his own…

 

She brought the mug closer to her and she laughed a little. They were small things that happened with time, and she couldn’t help but shake her head.

 

Opening her phone, she quickly typed a message as she sipped her coffee.

 

_ “What mad scientist remembers his assistant’s coffee preferences, anyway?” _


End file.
